Patriotism  Through  Education  Series 

Pan-Germanism 

The  Chief  Causes  of  the  Present  War 
A LECTURE  AND  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXTRACTS  BY 

Earl  E.  Sperry,  Ph.  D. 

Librarian  and  Professor  of  History  in  Syracuse 
University 

Issued  by  the 

Committee  on  Patriotism  Through  Education 

of  the 

National  Security  League,  Inc. 


Public  Speakers,  Teachers,  and  others  are  invited 
to  use  this  material  freely,  thus  cooperating  in  the 
Campaign  of  Patriotism  Through  Education  . . 


NEW  YORK 


NATIONAL  SECURITY  LEAGUE,  Inc. 
19  WEST  44th  STREET 


1918 


NATIONAL  SECURITY  LEAGUE,  Inc. 

(19  WEST  44th  STREET,  NEW  YORK  CITY) 

is  a non-political,  non-partisan  league  of  American  men  and 
women  who  are  DOING  EFFECTIVE  WORK  IN  PROMOTING 
PATRIOTIC  EDUCATION  AND  UNIVERSAL  MILITARY 
TRAINING  AND  SERVICE. 

Honorary  President — Elihu  Root,  New  York. 

[Note— Mr.  Choate  was  Honorary  President  from  the  date  of  the  organiza- 
tion  of  the  League  until  his  death,  May  14,  1917.] 

Honorary  l/ice-P resident — Alton  B.  Parker,  New  York. 
President — Charles  E.  Lydecker,  New  York. 

Vice-Presidents — George  Wharton  Pepper,  Philadelphia. 

Willet  M.  Spooner,  Milwaukee. 

Luke  E.  Wright,  Memphis. 

James  W.  Gerard,  New  York. 

Myron  T.  Herrick,  Cleveland. 

Educational  Director — Robert  McNutt  McElroy,  New  York. 
Educational  Secretary — Henry  D.  Thompson,  Princeton. 
Secretary — Franklin  Remington,  New  York. 

Treasurer — Alexander  J.  Hemphill,  New  York. 

Executive  Secretary — Henry  L.  West,  New  York. 

Assistant  Secretary — Emerson  Smalley. 

COMMITTEE  ON  PATRIOTISM  THROUGH 
EDUCATION 

Robert  McNutt  McElroy,  Educational  Director,  Chairman. 
Mrs.  Thomas  J.  Preston,  Jr.,  Secretary. 

Henry  J.  Allen,  Wichita,  Kans. 

Philander  P.  Claxton,  Bureau  of  Education,  Washington,  D.  C. 
John  Houston  Finley,  University  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
Albany. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Harvard  University.- 
Charles  E.  Lydecker,  New  York. 

Shailer  Mathews,  University  of  Chicago.' 

Mrs.  Philip  North  Moore,  National  Council  of  Women. 
Thomas  F.  Moran,  Purdue  University,  Ind. 

Charles  P.  Neill,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Calvin  W.  Rice,  American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers. 
Arthur  M.  Wolfson,  High  School  of  Commerce,  New  York. 
Jacob  H.  Schiff,  New  York. 

Henry  D.  Thompson,  Princeton  University. 

Hermon  C.  Bumpus,  Tufts  College,  Massachusetts. 

The  purpose  of  this  committee  is  to  enlighten  the  public 
mind  with  reference  to  the  war,  to  emphasize  the  necessity  of  a 
sound,  well  administered  system  of  public  education  as  the  basis 
of  democracy,  and  to  bring  about  a closer  union  of  all  the  edu- 
cational forces  of  the  country  with  reference  to  the  fundamental 
problems  of  popular  government. 

FOR  FURTHER  INFORMATION  ADDRESS  THE 

EDUCATIONAL  DIRECTOR,  N.  S.  L., 


19  west  44th  street 


NEW  YORK  CITY 


2x.  afc 

PAN-GERMANISM 

It  may  very  properly  be  asked  why  anyone  should 
try  to  understand  Pan-Germanism  or  spend  time  in  dis- 
cussing it.  The  answer  is  that  Pan-Germanism  was 
the  chief  cause  of  the  present  war.  It  was  not,  as  some 
believe,  the  sole  cause.  Its  aggressive,  annexationist 
policy,  however,  adopted  by  the  German  government, 
was  the  decisive  factor  in  producing  the  world’s  great- 
est catastrophe.  A knowledge  of  Pan-Germanism  is 
indispensable,  therefore,  if  one  is  to  understand  the 
fundamentals  of  the  war. 

The  prefix,  pan  in  the  word  Pan-Germanism,  is  the 
Greek  word  for  all.  Pan-Germanism  accordingly 
might  be  thought  to  mean  the  addition  to  the  German 
Empire  of  adjacent  regions  containing  a population 
predominantly  German  in  speech  and  race,  the  in- 
clusion of  all  Germans  in  central  Europe  in  one  great, 
national  state.  Or  it  might  signify  the  union  with  Ger- 
many by  annexation  or  confederation  of  those  states 
which,  like  Holland  and  Denmark,  are  inhabited  by 
people  of  Germanic  descent.  But  Pan-Germanism  has 
no  such  restricted  content  as  this.  It  means  the  ac- 
quisition of  all  the  territories,  no  matter  by  what  races 
they  are  occupied,  or  on  what  continent  situated,  which 
the  German  government  may  desire.  Though  having 
other  features,  it  is  primarily  a vast  program  of  con- 
quest unparalleled  in  the  history  of  Europe. 

The  Powerful  and  Influential  Pan-German  League 

The  heart  and  center  of  the  Pan-German  movement 
is  the  Pan-German  League,  founded  in  1890.  It  con- 
sists of  268  chapters,  23  of  which  are  in  foreign  lands, 
there  being  two  in  the  United  States,  one  in  New  York 
and  one  in  San  Francisco.  The  organization  is  not 
large,  having  only  30,000  members,  but  possesses  an 
influence  out  of  all  proportion  to  its  size.  This  is  due, 
first  of  all,  to  its  composition.  It  includes  many  of  the 
“Junkers,”  the  landed  and  military  aristocracy  of  Prus- 
sia. This  class  completely  dominates  and  directs  the 
government  of  Prussia,  which  in  territory  is  nearly  two 
thirds  of  Germany,  and  has  great  control  over  the  cen- 
tral or  imperial  government  of  the  entire  Empire.  In 
shaping  the  policies  of  the  German  Empire  the  “Junk- 
ers” have  a decisive  voice  and  they  are  Pan-German  to 
the  core. 

The  Pan-German  League  also  includes  a large  num- 
ber of  college  professors.  On  its  board  of  directors  in 
1894  there  were  seventeen,  among  them  Prof.  Haeckel 
of  the  University  of  Jena.  These  men,  being  in  contact 
year  after  year  with  thousands  of  students,  have  an 
unrivalled  opportunity  to  teach  Pan-German  views. 
And  as  their  students  include  the  men  who  become  the 


4 


PAN-GERMANISM 


rulers,  publicists,  diplomats  and  generals  of  Germany, 
the  Pan-German  college  professors  have  put  their 
stamp  on  the  ruling  class. 

From  the  first  the  League  has  included  German 
statesmen  and  men  active  in  practical,  political  life. 
Its  principal  founder  was  Dr.  Karl  Peters,  a German 
colonial  governor ; Bismarck  was  an  honorary  member, 
and  in  1916,  a typical  year,  fifteen  members  of  the 
Reichstag  belonged  to  it.  On  its  roll,  too,  are  the 
names  of  high  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  as  General 
von  Bernhardi,  General  Keim  and  Admiral  Breusing. 

The  League  also  includes  dignitaries  of  the  church, 
authors,  doctors,  lawyers,  manufacturers  and  leading 
merchants — in  a word,  men  who  have  a chief  part  in 
forming  public  opinion. 

Unceasing  Diffusion  of  Pan-German  Views 

Another  reason  for  the  influence  of  the  League,  in 
addition  to  the  position  of  its  members,  is  the  unremit- 
ting activity  with  which  it  has  infused  its  ideas  into 
the  daily  thought  of  the  German  people.  For  the  pro- 
pagation of  belief  in  its  foreign  policies  the  League 
publishes  a small  weekly  paper,  the  Pan-German 
Gazette.  It  also  circulates  millions  of  pamphlets  and 
sends  out  many  lecturers.  Pan-German  writers  have 
access  to  the  columns  of  the  leading  daily  newspapers 
and  through  them  Pan-German  ideas  have  .been  spread 
to  every  corner  and  every  class  in  Germany.  Certain 
great  daily  papers,  as  the  “Deutsche  Tageszeitung”  of 
Berlin,  make  the  preaching  of  Pa^Germanism  a lead- 
ing feature  of  their  journalistic  policy.  Some  periodi- 
cals also,  of  which  “Deutsche  Erde”  is  a specimen,  are 
saturated  with  Pan-German  ideas  and  aspirations. 

Several  other  organizations  with  high  political  con- 
nections also  disseminate  Pan-German  doctrine. 
Among  them  are  the  Army  League  with  a membership 
of  55,000;  the  Navy  League  with  a membership  of 
1,250,000;  the  Landowners’  League  and  the  Central  In- 
dustrial Society.  These  societies  employ  the  same 
means  to  reach  the  public  as  does  the  Pan-German 
League,  with  the  addition  of  moving  pictures. 

Testimony  from  within  the  German  Empire  itself 
concerning  the  power  and  influence  of  the  Pan-German 
League  has  particular  value  and  interest.  Llere  is  an 
extract  from  an  article  by  Kurt  Eisner,  a writer  of  re- 
pute on  public  affairs,  which  appeared  in  Die  Neue  Zeit, 
a progressive  and  reliable  periodical. 

“Who  wields  the  decisive  influence  on  the  trend 
of  foreign  politics  in  Germany?  Who  gives  the 
life  impulse  to  economic  driving  -forces?  Abso- 
lutely none  other  for  a quarter  of  a century  than 
the  Pan-Germans.  They  have  acquired  a greater 
influence  on  the  shaping  of  national  policy  than 
even  the  mightiest  combination  of  great  landown- 


UNCEASING  DIFFUSION  OF  PAN-GERMAN  VIEWS  5 


ers  and  capitalists.  In  the  course  of  years  they 
have  put  through  more  measures  than  all  the  po- 
litical parties  and  all  the  parliamentary  subdi- 
visions of  Germany  taken  together.” 

The  Pan-German  League  having  spread  its  ideas 
with  such  energy  and  success  that  the  government  has 
adopted  them,  if  indeed  they  were  not  largely  derived 
from  government  sources,  let  us  now  consider  certain 
of  the  aims  and  aspirations  of  the  Pan-Germans. 


Aims  of  The  Pan-Germans 

Prof.  Ernst  Hasse  of  the  University  of  Leipsic,  a 
leader  of  the  Pan-German  movement  and  for  many 
years  president  of  the  League,  thus  states  its  aims  for 
the  future  expansion  of  Germany. 

‘‘The  future  territory  of  German  expansion,  sit- 
uated between  the  territories  of  the  eastern  and 
western  powers,  must  absorb  all  the  intermediate 
regions;  it  must  stretch  from  the  North  Sea  and 
the  Baltic  through  the  Netherlands,  taking  in  Lux- 
emburg and  Switzerland,  down  to  the  lands  of  the 
Danube  and  the  Balkan  peninsula  and  will  include 
Asia  Minor  as  far  as  the  Persian  Gulf.”  (Hasse, 
Weltpolitk,  Imperialismus  und  Kolonialpolitik, 
1906,  p.  65.) 

Here  is  a more  specific  statement  by  Bronsart  von 
Schellendorf : 

“We  intend  to  absorb  one  after  another  all  the 
provinces  which  border  on  Prussia.  We  shall  suc- 
cessively annex  Denmark,  Holland,  Belgium, 
northern  Switzerland,  then  Trieste  and  Venice,  fin- 
ally northern  France  from  the  Sambre  to  the  Loire. 
This  program  we  fearlessly  announce.  * * * 

The  empire  we  intend  to  found  will  be  no  Utopia. 
We  have  ready  to  hand  the  means  of  founding  it 
and  no  coalition  in  the  world  can  stop  us.” 
(Quoted  by  Fisher  in  The  War,  Its  Causes  and 
Issues,  1914,  p.  16.) 

What,  now  are  the  reasons  why  the  Pan-Germans  in- 
tend to  annex,  or  at  least  subject  to  German  control,  all 
the  countries  named  above?  The  reasons  vary  in  each 
case  and  accordingly  the  several  countries  must  be  con- 
sidered separately. 

DENMARK.  Denmark  includes  the  many  islands 
lying  off  its  eastern  coast  and  if  Germany  annexed  that 
country,  her  fdrtifications  and  batteries  could  command 
the  narrow  waterways  between  them,  thus  giving  her 
complete  control  over  the  entrance  to  the  Baltic  Sea. 
Not  only  could  the  Russian  navy  be  confined  to  the 
Baltic  in  case  of  war  with  Germany  and  the  warships  of 
an  ally  excluded,  but  all  commerce  with  other  countries 


6 


PAN-GERMANISM 


could  be  cut  off  from  the  Baltic  ports  of  Russia,  the 
country  thus  deprived  in  part  of  indispensable  supplies 
and  also  weakened  financially  because  unable  to  export 
its  own  commodities. 

HOLLAND.  The  annexation  of  Holland  is  intended 
for  several  reasons.  Germany  has  for  many  years  de- 
sired more  colonies.  She  seeks  them  because  they  are  a 
source  of  military  strength,;  because  they  would  afford 
homes  for  her  surplus  population  which  in  the  past  has 
emigrated  to  other  states  thus  giving  strength  to  Ger- 
many’s rivals;  because  she  could  obtain  from  them  raw 
materials  for  manufacture  without  purchasing  from  the 
subjects  of  'Other  states  or  being  in  danger  of  having  her 
supply  arbitrarily  cut  off ; and  because  in  them  she  could 
have  a preferred  and  perhaps  exclusive  market  for  the 
great  quantities  of  manufactured  goods  which  she  pro- 
duces with  such  cheapness  and  facility.  Holland  has  in. 
the  East  Indies  extremely  rich  colonies,  Sumatra,  Java, 
Celebes,  a part  of  Borneo  and  of  New  Guinea.  Their 
annexation  by  the  German  Empire  would  add  greatly 
to  its  wealth  and  strength. 

Holland  also  has  some  excellent  ports,  as  Amsterdam 
and  Rotterdam,  and  sites  where  more  could  be  con- 
structed. The  more  ports,  the  more  commerce  and  as 
Germany  aims  to  become  the  greatest  commercial  power 
in  the  world,  she  covets  these  ports.  Llolland,  too,  has 
a great  mercantile  marine  which  would  become  German 
by  annexation.  Germany’s  resolve  to  become  the  fore- 
most commercial  power  in  the  world  without  the  effort 
and  expense  of  attaining  that  position  by  legitimate 
means  is  strikingly  shown  by  the  action  of  her  sub- 
marines in  sinking  over  856  merchant  ships  belonging 
to  Norway,  a neutral  country. 

The  Lower  Rhine,  moreover,  is  within  Dutch  terri- 
tory. Germany  looks  on  the  Rhine  as  a peculiarly  Ger- 
man river  and  wishes  to  possess  it  throughout  its  whole 
length.  She  feels  about  it  much  as  the  United  States 
would  feel  if  a foreign  country  held  the  lower  Hudson 
or  Mississippi. 

But  there  is  a very  special  reason  why  Germany  wishes 
to  possess  the  entire  Rhine.  There  is  a vast  German 
commerce  up  and  down  the  river,  flowing  as  it  does 
near  the  great  industrial  district  which  centers  about 
the  cities  of  Essen,  Barmen  and  Elberfeld.  This  com- 
merce passes  through  the  territory  of  Holland,  a foreign 
state,  and  so  is  subject  to  the  legislation  and  general  con- 
trol of  the  Dutch  government.  And  in  case  of  war  with 
Holland  it  could  be  entirely  stopped.  If  Germany  held 
the  Rhine  throughout  its  entire  length,  moreover,  she 
would  have  the  invaluable  right  to  use  its  lower  waters 
for  military  purposes. 

BELGIUM.  The  Pan-Germans  have  planned  the  an- 
nexation of  Belgium  for  several  reasons.  Belgium  in  the 
first  place  has  a colony,  the  Belgian  Congo,  of  extra- 
ordinary-fertility and  richness  in  natural  resources.  Its 


AIMS  IN  VARIOUS  COUNTRIES 


7 


annexation,  with  the  addition  of  the  Portuguese  colonies 
which  the  Pan-Germans  have  talked  of  seizing,  would 
give  Germany  a great  belt  of  colonial  possessions  ex- 
tending completely  across  the  continent  of  Africa  and 
would  make  impossible  the  execution  of  England’s  plan 
to  link  up  her  South  African  and  Egyptian  colonies. 
Furthermore,  if  the  plan  of  seizing  Egypt  from  Eng- 
land and  Morocco  from  France  were  carried  out,  Ger- 
many would  be  the  master  of  Africa. 

Germany,  too,  has  envied  the  mineral  wealth  of  Bel- 
gium, its  rich  mines  of  coal,  iron  and  other  metals  which 
have  been  the  basis  of  its  great  industrial  development. 

But  most  important  of  all  perhaps  in  Germany’s  plans 
concerning  Belgium  are  the  Belgian  ports  and  coast 
line.  If  Germany  possessed  them,  she  would  then  have 
sites  for  naval  bases  from  which  to  make  the  attack  on 
England  when  the  time  comes.  For  the  destruction  and 
dismemberment  of  the  British  Empire  has  been  a Pan- 
German  aim  for  many  years.  Germany’s  present  ports 
are  several  hundred  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Thames, 
but  if  she  annexed  Belgium,  she  would  have  in  per- 
manent possession  Antwerp,  Ostend  and  other  ports 
which  are  only  a few  miles  from  the  English  coast. 
From  these  points  of  vantage  she  would  be  able  not 
only  to  launch  naval  and  military  attacks  in  case  of 
sudden  onslaught  against  England,  but  could  act  as  a 
constant  menace  to  England’s  great  commerce  pass- 
ing through  the  Straits  of  Dover. 

Antwerp,  too,  is  geographically  the  natural  outlet  on 
the  western  coast  of  Europe  for  Germany’s  great  indus- 
trial center  mentioned  above.  At  present  the  immense 
manufactured  product  of  this  region  which  is  exported 
must  be  shipped  from  a Belgian  port,  or  sent  down  the 
Rhine  through  Holland,  or  transported  a long  distance  by 
rail  to  one  of  Germany’s  own  ports,  as  Bremen  or  Ham- 
burg.' And  of  course  imports  to  this  region  must  fol- 
low the  same  routes.  Germany  naturally  wishes  to  pos- 
sess the  European  port  which  is  nearest  her  great  manu- 
facturing district. 

FRANCE.  The  Pan-Germans  have  long  intended  to 
annex  approximately  that  portion  of  northern  France 
now  occupied  by  the  German  armies,  including  the  coast 
line  not  yet  in  their  possession.  The  first  reason  is  that 
this  region  includes  the  chief  industrial  towns  of  France 
and  their  addition  to  the  German  Empire  would 
strengthen  it  enormously.  The  second  reason  is  that 
about  80  per  cent,  of  the  coal  and  iron  mines  of  France 
are  in  these  northern  departments.  Their  possession  by 
Germany  would  destroy  the  very  foundations  of  French 
industry,  would  make  France  dependent  on  Germany  for 
its  supplies  of  these  indispensable  materials  and  thus 
an  economic  tributary. 

After  the  Franco-Prussian  war  Germany  annexed  Lor- 
raine which  contained  nearly  all  the  French  iron  mines 
then  worked.  But  northwest  of  the  city  of  Metz  were 


8 


PAN-GERMANISM 


mines  containing  phosphoric  ores  from  which  the  metal 
could  not  be  extracted  by  any  process  then  known. 
These  mines  the  Germans  left  to  the  French.  Since  1871 
methods  of  working  the  phosphoric  ores  have  been  dis- 
covered and  the  Germans  are  now  planning  to  rob  the 
French  of  these  mines  toor  In  two  of  the  northern  de- 
partments of  France  are  the  coal  mines  which  the  Ger- 
mans have  long  intended  to  seize. 

The  northern  coast  line  of  France  extending  from  the 
Belgian  border  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Somme  is  also 
included  in  the  German  program  of  annexation  and  some 
of  the  bloodiest  and  most  obstinate  battles  of  the  present 
war  have  resulted  from  Germany’s  effort  to  conquer 
this  region.  She  desires  it,  because  it  includes  the  three 
French  ports,  Dunkirk,  Calais  and  Boulogne  which  com- 
mand the  Straits  of  Dover  and  the  English  Channel. 
Most  coveted  of  all  is  Calais,  only  twenty  miles  from  the 
English  coast,  an  ideal  point  from  which  to  launch  naval 
attacks  when  the  time  comes  to  destroy  the  British  Em- 
pire. And  Calais  in  the  hands  of  Germany  would  be  an 
unceasing  menace  to  England’s  commerce. 

Another  portion  of  France  marked  for  annexation  is 
the  district  along  the  eastern  border  which  includes  the 
Vosges  Mountains  and  the  line  of  French  fortresses  ex- 
tending from  Verdun  to  Belfort.  This  would  deprive 
France  of  all  natural  and  artificial  defenses  on  the  east 
and  place  her  at  the  mercy  of  Germany  in  a military 
sense,  just  as  the  annexation  of  the  northern  departments 
would  do  the  same  in  an  economic  sense. 

One  essential  feature  of  the  Pan-German  plan  for 
France  is  that  the  owners  of  all  industrial  establishments 
and  farms  or  landed  property  in  the  annexed  districts 
shall  be  dispossessed  and  compensated  for  their  losses 
by  the  French  government. 

SWITZERLAND.  The  northern  cantons  of  Switzer- 
land are  largely  German  both  in  race  and  speech  and 
were  to  be  included  in  the  Pan-German  Empire.  If 
possible  all  of  Switzerland  was  to  be  annexed,  for  it  has 
immense  military  value.  Being  a small  country,  the  Pan- 
Germans  have  not  thought  that  armed  conquest  would  be 
necessary.  After  the  great  powers  of  Europe  had  been 
defeated,  Switzerland  would  see  the  folly  of  resistance 
and  peacefully  unite  with  the  Empire. 

RUSSIA.  Turning  now  to  eastern  Europe,  we  find 
that  the  Pan-Germans  planned  the  annexation  of  con- 
siderable areas  of  the  Russian  Empire.  They  desired  all 
or  part  of  the  Baltic  provinces  of  Courland,  Esthonia 
and  Livonia.  This  would  give  Germany  fertile  districts 
for  the  production  of  food,  additional  ports  on  the  Baltic 
Sea  and  would  thus  cut  off  Russia  in  part  from  that  com- 
mercial outlet,  crippling  her  trade  even  in  times  of  peace 
for  the  benefit  of  Germany.  The  western  part  of  Rus- 
sian Poland  also  is  to  be  annexed.  It  is  the  richest  in- 
dustrial region  in  Russia  and  also  includes  immense 
areas  of  fertile  soil  which  are  to  be  colonized  by  Ger- 


AIMS  IN  VARIOUS  COUNTRIES 


9 


mans  after  the  extermination  of  the  natives  and  made  a 
source  of  food  supplies  for  Germany.  The  greater  part 
of  Russian  Poland  is  to  be  organized  into  a separate 
kingdom  nominally  independent,  but  in  fact  vassal  to 
Germany. 

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.  Another  phase  of  the  Pan- 
German  scheme  consisted  not  of  the  outright  annexation 
of  territory  to  Germany,  but  of  its  subjection  to  German 
control  in  all  vital  policies.  The  first  country  to  be  so 
treated  according  to  the  Pan-German  plan  is  Austria- 
Hungary.  This  Empire  is  to  be  united  to  Germany  in  a 
customs  union,  that  is,  the  two  Empires  would  have  a 
common  tariff.  The  effect  of  the  arrangement  would  be 
the  complete  subordination  of  Austria-Hungary  in  econo- 
mic affairs  to  the  German  Empire.  For  Germany  has 
surplus  capital  and  great  manufactures,  while  Austria- 
Hungary  is  an  agricultural  and  borrowing  state.  This 
economic  dependence  would  lead  to  a political  and  mili- 
tary dependence  on  Germany,  which  of  course  was  de- 
signed by  the  Pan-Germans.  Indeed  they  do  not  hesitate 
to  discuss  openly  the  annexation  to  Germany  of  the  Ger- 
man-speaking portions  of  Austria,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  Austria  is  their  ally.  The  result  of  the  plan  would 
be  to  make  Germany  and  Austria  a unit  so  far  as  ex- 
ternal relations  are  concerned  and  would  ultimately  lead 
to  the  absorption  of  Austria. 

BALKAN  STATES.  The  small  Balkan  states  of 
course  could  not  resist  this  powerful  economic  and  politi- 
cal bloc  and  would  be  compelled  to  submit  to  its  dic- 
tation. They  would  be  cajoled  or  coerced  into  joining 
the  customs  union  and  would  become  subject  nations  of 
the  two  empires,  or,  if  they  offered  serious  resistance,  be 
forcibly  annexed.  Austria’s  ultimatum  to  Serbia  in  July 
of  1914  and  the  annihilation  of  the  latter  for  rejecting  a 
part  of  it  are  specimens  of  the  treatment  which  this  group 
of  lesser  states  would  receive  from  its  powerful 
neighbors. 

ITALY.  Italy  was  looked  on  by  some  of  the  Pan- 
Germans  as  an  insignificant  and  negligible  factor  in  the 
problem  of  constructing  the  new  empire.  Being  a mem- 
ber of  the  Triple  Alliance,  it  was  taken  for  granted  that 
she  would  become  a subordinate  and  vassal  member  of 
the  customs  union  Her  small  size,  poverty  and  sup- 
posed military  incompetence  were  thought  to  make  re- 
sistance vain.  She  would,  however,  be  a valuable  acqui- 
sition because  of  her  splendid  ports,  her  strategic  posi- 
tion in  the  Mediterranean  and  her  consumption  of  Ger- 
man goods.  In  case  Italy  remained  outside  the  new  fed- 
eration, it  was  suggested  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
province  of  Venetia  be  annexed  to  Austria,  the  pretext 
being  to  strengthen  Austria’s  defenses  against  an  in- 
vasion by  Italy. 

TURKEY.  The  Turkish  Empire,  too,  was  included 


10 


PAN-GERMANISM 


in  the  Pan-German  scheme  of  territorial  aggrandizement. 
In  Asia  Minor  are  mineral  wealth  and  millions  of  un- 
cultivated acres.  Mesopotamia,  when  rightly  cultivated, 
is  one  of  the  most  fruitful  regions  of  the  earth.  Here 
was  ample  room  for  the  surplus  population  of  Germany, 
for  a numerous  and  powerful  German  colony.  Here 
were  natural  resources  almost  unlimited  for  the  ex- 
ploitation of  Germans.  On  this  territory  also  are  such 
desirable  ports  as  Salonika  and  Kavala  and  most  impor- 
tant of  all,  Constantinople  and  the  head  of  the  Persian 
Gulf.  The  Turkish  Empire  is  an  indispensable  part  of 
the  Pan-German  Empire. 

PAN-GERMAN  DREAM  NOW  REALIZED.  The 
Pan-German  scheme,  in  a word,  is  the  creation  of  a vast 
confederation  of  states  subject  to  the  dictation  of  Ger- 
many, extending  from  the  Baltic  and  the  North  Seas 
through  the  heart  of  Europe  to  the  eastern  Mediterranean 
and  the  Persian  Gulf.  This  plan,  which  is  so  vast  as  to 
seem  chimerical  and  fantastic,  has  been  carried  out  in 
almost  every  particular  by  the  German  government.  It 
holds  Belgium  and  northern  France.  It  has  reduced 
Austria  to  a subordinate  position,  controlling  completely 
the  economic,  military  and  foreign  policies  of  that  coun- 
try. The  states  of  the  Balkan  peninsula,  except  Greece, 
are  wholly  under  German  control.  Servia  and  Monte- 
negro have  been  obliterated ; Bulgaria  is  at  the  mercy  of 
Germany ; Roumania  has  little  more  than  a nominal  ex- 
istence. Not  only  has  Germany  conquered  all  the  Rus- 
sian territory  which  the  Pan-Germans  intended  to  take, 
and  set  up  the  new  kingdom  of  Poland  as  designed,  but 
has  caused  the  disintegration  of  the  Russian  Empire  into 
nine  or  ten  separate  states.  Russia  has  been  plunged 
into  anarchy.  The  most  rapacious  and  fanatical  of  the 
Pan-Germans  did  not  expect  such  success.  Turkey  has 
become  the  vassal  of  Germany,  is  utterly  helpless  in  her 
hands  and  subject  to  German  dictation  in  every  essential 
particular. 

SOME  PROBABLE  CONSEQUENCES.  This  Pan- 
German  confederation,  if  it  continues,  will  be  the 
strongest  empire . known  to  history,  surpassing  even  the 
Roman.  Because  of  its  great  population  and  mineral  and 
agricultural  resources  it  will  be  wholly  self-sustaining, 
can  put  in  the  field  20,000,000  men  under  the  unified  con- 
trol of  Germany  and  thus  would  be  irresistible.  No 
state  in  the  world  could  refuse  its  demands  or  refuse 
submission  to  its  dictation.  Possessing  the  ports  of  Con- 
stantinople and  Saloniki,  it  could  cut  off  England’s  com- 
merce with  the  east  through  the  Mediterranean,  seize  the 
Suez  Canal  and  have  military  and  naval  bases  from  which 
to  conquer  Egypt.  With  a port  at  the  head  of  the  Per- 
sian Gulf  and  a railroad  running  thence  to  Berlin,  Ger- 
man soldiers  could  be  brought  to  the  very  gates  of  India 
and  that  colony  conquered.  The  British  Empire  would 
be  doomed.  The  seizure  of  Persia  would  be  easy  and  in 


AIMS  IN  VARIOUS  COUNTRIES 


11 


the  future  partition  of  China,  if  that  takes  place,  the  new 
empire  would  have /the  decisive  voice.  With  her  former 
colonies  in  Africa  enlarged  by  the  Portuguese  posses- 
sions, the  Belgian  Congo  and  Egypt,  Germany  could 
seize  whatever  additional  territory  on  thai  continent  she 
might  desire.  That  she  has  designs  on  the  French  pos- 
sessions in  Algiers  and  Morocco  is  proved  by  the  dis- 
patches of  Bethmann-Holwegg  to  Sir  Edward  Grey. 

The  Pan- German  confederation  would  thus  form  the 
territorial,  economic  and  military  base  from  which  Ger- 
many could  master  Asia  and  Africa  and  become  the  dic- 
tator of  the  world.  This  confederation  is  to  be  con- 
structed on  the  ruins  of  five  of  the  European  powers. 
France  and  Russia  are  to  be  crushed,  Austria-Hungary 
and  Italy  absorbed  and  then  the  British  Empire  de- 
stroyed and  its  choicest  portions  appropriated. 

NORTH  AND  SOUTH  AMERICA.  There  is  no 
possibility  that  any  foreign  government  can  acquire  ter- 
ritory within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  but  the  Pan- 
Germans  and  the  German  government,  nevertheless,  have 
a plan  for  our  future.  It  is  that  there  shall  be  on  the  soil 
of  the  United  States  a branch  of  the  German  nation  con- 
sisting of  the  people  of  German  descent  who  dwell  here. 
An  organized  and  systematic  effort  has  been  made  by 
many  societies  in  the  German  Empire,  acting  with  the 
approval  of  the  German  government,  to  teach  the  Ger- 
man-Americans  that  they  are  members  of  the  German 
rather  than  the  American  nation,  that  although  Amer- 
ican citizens,  they  owe  their  first  allegiance  and  affec- 
tion not  to  the  United  States,  but  to  Germany.  They 
are  to  have  a German  nationality  distinct  and  apart  from 
their  American  citizenship. 

Within  the  United  States  this  work  has  been  carried 
on  by  the  German  language  press,  by  many  of  the  Ger- 
man-American  societies  and  the  German- American  lead- 
ers, by  many  of  the  German  parochial  schools,  by  German 
teachers  in  other  schools  and  universities  and  by  many 
of  the  German  clergy  Their  aim  has  been  to  segregate 
people  of  German  descent  from  other  Americans  and 
consolidate  them  into  a distinct  national  unit,  based  on 
common  race,  the  use  of  the  German  language  and  the 
possession  of  a part  at  least  of  German  Kultnr. 

The  reason  for  doing  this  is  to  have  in  the  United 
States  a firmly  compacted  organization  which  in  time  of 
need  shall  serve  the  interests  of  the  German  government. 
More  specifically,  this  organization  was  a part  of  the 
German  plan  to  achieve  world  dominion.  The  expecta- 
tion was  that  when  the  armed  conflict  came,  that  branch 
of  the  German  nation  residing  in  the  United  States  would 
through  political  pressure  compel  our  government  to  act 
in  a way  favorable  to  Germany.  That  an  attempt  was 
made  to  realize  this  expectation  is  proved  by  the  events  of 
the  past  four  years.  German- American  societies  and  lead- 
ers have  endeavored  to  force  the  United  States  to  adopt 
pro-German  policies  by  threatening  to  prevent  the  elec- 


12 


PAN-GERMANISM 


tion  of  President  Wilson  for  a second  term  and  of  sen- 
ators and  representatives  who  refused  to  vote  for  the 
measures  demanded  by  the  German-Americans  because 
helpful  to  Germany.  The  National  German- American 
Alliance,  a federation  of  nearly  10,000  German-Amer- 
ican  societies,  took  official  action  to  prevent  the  nom- 
ination of  Mr.  Roosevelt  for  the  presidency  and  the  re- 
nomination of  President  Wilson,  because  they  opposed 
pro-German  policies.  Similar  action  was  taken  to  pro- 
cure the  nomination  of  senators  and  representatives  who 
were  supporters  of  the  German  cause  and  therefore 
would  vote  for'  the  measures  favored  by  the  Alliance. 
Among  these  measures  were  the  surrender  of  certain 
American  rights  at  sea,  in  order  to  make  submarine  war- 
fare easier  for  Germany,  an  embargo  on  war  material 
exported  to  the  Allies,  and  a law  forbidding  American 
bankers  to  make  loans  to  the  Allies.  All  of  these  meas- 
ures had  the  support  of  the  German  language  press. 
The  German-American  National  Alliance  showed  its  real 
national  affiliations  when  it  raised  $800,000  for  German 
war  relief  and  not  one  penny  for  American  war  relief. 

At  the  time  the  Lusitania  was  sunk  with  the  loss  of 
114  American  citizens  there  was  a probability  that  the 
United  States  would  declare  war  on  Germany  or  at  least 
sever  diplomatic  relations.  In  order  to  prevent  the 
United  States  at  this  crisis  from  taking  any  action,  even 
in  self-defense,  which  might  embarrass  the  German  gov- 
ernment, the  President  of  the  National  German-Amer- 
ican Alliance,  Dr.  C.  J.  Hexamer,  sent  the  following 
telegram  to  the  presidents  of  the  forty-five  state  alliances : 

“Telegraph  to  President  Wilson  that  your  mem- 
bers and  an  overwhelming  majority  of  the  citizens 
of  your  states  do  not  approve  of  any  drastic  meas- 
ures against  Germany,  since  they  are  unjustified,  and 
cause  all  your  branch  societies  likewise  to  send  in 
telegraphic  protests.” 

The  telegrams  were  sent  by  the  local  organizations  in 
accordance  with  instructions.  This  was  precisely  the 
kind  of  aid  to  the  German  government  which  was  ex- 
pected by  the  Pan-German  League  and  similar  societies 
when  they  began  the  organization  of  the  foreign  branches 
of  the  German  nation.  Dr.  Hexamer  has  been  decorated 
by  the  Kaiser  for  his  services  to  Germanism  in  America. 

The  German  government  naturally  approved  the  work 
of  these  societies  and  co-operated  with  them  very  ef- 
fectively by  the  enactment  of  Delbriick’s  law.  This 
statute  provides  that  when  a German  emigrant  to  a for- 
eign country  is  about  to  be  naturalized,  he  may  apply  to 
a German  consul  and  receive  the  privilege  of  retaining 
his  German  citizenship  after  he  has  been  vested  with  that 
of  his  adopted  country.  He  is  to  be  a citizen  of  two 
countries,  owing  two  governments  all  the  duties  and 
obligations  of  citizenship.  The  hope  and  intention  ob- 
viously is  that  in  time  of  crisis  his  duties  as  a German 
citizen  shall  outweigh  those  owing  to  the  country  in  which 


AIMS  IN  AMERICA 


13 


he  lives.  One  of  the  problems  before  us  at  present  is 
to  destroy  among  our  citizens,  no  matter  of  what  origin, 
every  vestige  of  political  attachment  to  any  foreign  state. 
We  must  teach  them  in  an  unmistakable  manner  that  we 
expect  and  demand  that  they  shall  be  wholly  and  exclu- 
sively American.  Thousands  of  German- Americans  are 
of  course  entirely  loyal. 

This  movement  to  extend  the  German  nation  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  German  state  has  not  been  carried  on  in 
the  United  States  alone,  but  in  every  country  where  there 
are  numerous  citizens  of  German  descent.  Some  of 
the  other  countries  in  which  the  Pan-Germans  have  been 
at  work  are  Denmark,  Holland,  Belgium,  northern 
France,  Switzerland,  Bohemia  and  other  provinces  of 
Austria,  the  Baltic  provinces  of  Russia,  South  Africa, 
Brazil,  Chile  and  the  Argentine  Republic. 

In  South  America,  however,  they  aspired  to  accom- 
plish more  than  the  organization  of  Germanic  national 
units.  Certain  of  their  writers  have  specified  the  states 
which  should  be  subjected  to  German  rule  or  influence. 
These  are  Argentina,  Chile,  Paraguay,  Uruguay,  the 
southern  part  of  Brazil  and  the  southern  third  of  Bolivia. 
Here  Germany  could  find  wheat,  cattle,  minerals  and 
other  raw  materials,  a preferred  market  for  her  products 
and  an  outlet  for  surplus  population. 

Germany  has  made  more  than  one  effort  to  get  a foot- 
ing in  the  western  hemisphere,  the  most  serious  being  in 
1902  when  she  desisted  from  armed  intervention  in  Vene- 
zuela only  at  the  threat  made  by  President  Roosevelt  to 
send  the  American  fleet  in  the  South  Atlantic  against  the 
German  warships.  The  American  protectorate  over  San 
Domingo  will  make  impossible  a repetition  of  her  at- 
tempt at  pacific  penetration  there  and  the  purchase  by 
the  United  States  of  the  Danish  West  Indies  has  closed 
to  Germany  that  avenue  of  approach  to  the  American 
coast. 

OTHER.  AIMS.  It  was  the  Pan-Germans  who  orig- 
inated the  propaganda  which  aimed  to  teach  the  world 
that  the  Germans  were  superior  to  all  other  peoples. 
This  would  afford  a justification  for  carrying  out,  by 
force  of  arms  if  necessary,  another  great  purpose,  the 
extension  of  German  Kultur  or  civilization  to  all  nations. 
The  world  is  to  be  organized  and  disciplined  as  the  Ger- 
mans are  and  benefited  thereby.  The  world-wide  use  of 
the  German  language  is  to  accompany  this  spread  of  Ger- 
man Kultur  and  also  to  prepare  the  way  for  it.  Hence 
the  activity  of  the  National  German-American  Alliance 
in  forcing  the  German  lauguage  into  the  schools  of  the 
United  States  and  the  almost  exclusive  use  of  German  in 
certain  public  schools  in  some  of  the  western  states  and 
in  many  of  the  Lutheran  parochial  schools. 

Illustrative  Extracts. 

It  should  be  clearly  understood  that  the  following  ex- 
cerpts from  German  writings  are  not  unique,  but  rather 


14 


PAN-GERMANISM 


are  typical  of  many  hundreds  produced  during  the  last 
quarter  century  Nor  are  such  excerpts  the  expressions 
of  obscure  or  fanatical  men,  whose  words  are  without 
weight  and  effect  and  therefore  can  be  ignored.  They  are, 
rather,  the  utterances  of  the  spokesmen  and  leaders  of 
the  German  nation,  of  its  statesmen,  publicists,  party 
leaders,  historians,  scientists,  authors,  college  professors 
and  journalists — in  a word,  of  those  men  who  express 
national  aims  and  aspirations  and  who  shape  national 
policies. 

“Our  historical  development  and  our  economic 
needs  show  that  we  are  once  more  hungry  for  ter- 
ritory. * * *” 

Daniel  Fryman,  Wenn  Ich  der  Kaiser  ware,  21st 
ed,  1914,  p.  9. 

“And'  over  all  these,  over  the  Germans,  French, 
Danes,  and  Poles  in  the  German  Empire,  over  the 
Magyars,  Germans,  Roumanians,  Slovaks,  Croats 
and  Serbs  in  Hungary,  over  the  Germans,  Czechs, 
Slovaks,  Poles  and  southern  Slavs  in  Austria,  let  us 
imagine  once  again  the  controlling  concept  of  mid- 
Europe.” 

F.  Naumann,  Central  Euorpe,  1916,  pp.  108,  109. 

“The  establishment  of  a sphere  of  economic  in- 
fluence from  the  North  Sea  to  the  Persian  Gulf  has 
been  for  nearly  two  decades  the  silent,  unspoken  aim 
of  German  foreign  policy.” 

Dr.  Spiethoff  in  Die  wirtschaftliche  Annaherung 
zwischen  dem  Deutschen  Reiche  und  seine  V erbun- 
deten,  1916,  I,  p.  24. 

“*  * * the  Balkan  peninsula,  including  Euro: 

pean  Turkey,  would  form  a portion  of  Middle 
Europe.” 

Franz  von  Liszt,  Ein  mitteleuropaischer  Staaten- 
verband,  1914,  p.  32. 

“The  Scandinavian  countries,  the  German  Em- 
pire, Austria-Hungary,  Roumania,  Bulgaria  and 
Turkey  ought  to  form  one  community.” 

Karl  von  W inter stetten,  Nordkap-Bagdad,  das 
politische  Program  des  Krieges,  1914,  pp.  8-9. 

“There  is  no  other  solution  for  Austria  than  that 
of  becoming  a colonial  state  of  Germany.” 

Paid  de  Lagarde,  Deutsche  Schriften  (1878), 
1891,  p.  III. 

“Germany  must  lay  her  mighty  grasp  upon  Asia 
Minor.  * * * The  Turk  has  lost  his  rights. 

* * 

“Amicus  Patriae,”  Armenien  und  Kreta,  eine 
Lebensfrage  fur  Deutschland,  1896,  pp.  13,  15. 

“With  the  help  of  Turkey,  India  and  China  may  be 
conquered.  Having  conquered  these,  Germany 
should  civilize  and  Germanize  the  world  and  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE  EXTRACTS 


15 


German  language  would  become  the  world  language." 

Theodore  Springman  in  Deutschland  und  der 
Orient,  1915,  p.  308. 

“What  we  desire  for  our  future  therefore  is  a 
strong,  self-dependent  Germany,  strong  enough  to 
secure  that  Austria,  Bulgaria  and  Turkey  shall  find 
their  greatest  safety  and  prosperity  through  the  Ger- 
man connection  and  only  through  Germany.” 

Dr.  Georg  Kerschensteiner  in  the  Europaische 
Staats-und-Wirtschaftszeitung,  December  16,  1916. 

“Room;  they  must  make  room.  The  western  and 
southern  Slavs — or  we ! Since  we  are  the  stronger, 
the  choice  will  not  be  difficult.” 

Tannenberg,  Gross-Deutschland,  die  Arbeit  des 
20 ten  Jahrhunderts,  1911,  pp.  74-75. 

“All  depends  upon  Germany’s  obtaining  in  middle 
and  western  Europe  by  the  subjection  of  France  and 
the  incorporation  at  the  same  time  or  afterwards  of 
the  German  provinces  of  Austria  in  any  form  that 
may  suit  our  racial  purposes.” 

/.  L.  Reimer,  Ein  pangermanisches  Deutschland, 
1905,  pp.  119-120. 

“Besides  the  razing  of  all  Russia’s  western  for- 
tresses, especially  the  fortresses  on  the  sea,  it  would 
be  necessary  to  take  from  her  Finland,  Esthonia, 
Eivonia,  Courland,  Poland,  Yolhynia,  Podolia,  Bes- 
sarabia, portions  of  little  Russia  and  of  south  Rus- 
sia, Taurida  and  the  Caucasus.  * * * In  the 

Balkans  * * * two  kingdoms,  Servia  and  Mon- 

tenegro, should  be  wiped  com'pletely  off  the  map. 

A.  Oelzelt-N ewin,  Welclie  Strafe  soil  die  treffen, 
die  Schuld  am  Weltkrieg  tragen?  1915,  pp.  12-16. 

“From  such  points  of  view  the  idea  of  establish- 
ing a federation  which  carries  us  over  the  Balkans 
and  through  Turkey  to  the  gates  of  India  and  of 
Cape  Colony  becomes  of  new  significance ; and  we  see 
that  this  solution  will  be  attained  because  it  must 
be  attained.  * * * ” 

Franz  Kohler,  Der  neue  Dreibund,  1915,  pp. 
82-83. 

“The  lands  we  shall  demand  from  Russia  must 
be  extensive  enough  to  maintain  permanently  all  Rou- 
manians, even  those  of  Austria  and  Turkey,  in  Bes: 
sarabia  and  to  the  northeast  of  Bessarabia.  * * * 
as  subjects  of  King  Charles.  This  policy  is  some- 
what Assyrian,  but  there  is  no  other  way.” 

Paul  de  Lagarde,  Deutsche  Schriften,  M878), 
1891,  p.  391. 

“France  must  be  so  completely  crushed  that  she 
can  never  again  come  across  our  path.” 

F.  von  Bernhardi,  Germany  and  the  Next  War 

(1911),  tran.  1914,  p.  106. 


16 


PAN-GERMANISM 


“France  then  must  be  crushed.  We  must  de- 
mand further  that  so  much  of  French  soil  be  ceded 
to  us  as  we  shall  need  for  final  security.  * * * We 
could  finally  take  such  of  her  colonial  possessions  as 
we  need.  * * * ” 

Daniel  Fryman,  W enn  Ich  der  Kaiser  ware, 
(1911),  21st  ed.,  1914,  p.  152. 

“The  security  of  the  German  Empire  in  a future 
war  requires  therefore  imperatively  the  ownership 
of  all  mines  of  iron  ore,  including  the  fortresses  of 
Longwy  and  of  Verdun,  which  are  necessary  to  de- 
fend the  region.” 

Petition  of  the  six  Industrial  Associations  to  the 
Imperial  Chancellor,  May  20,  1915. 

“One  can  say  the  same  of  France  as  of  Belgium, 
to  wit,  that  some  day  they  must  renounce  a part  of 
their  possessions.” 

Kolnische  Zeitung,  May  9,  1914. 

“All  Morocco  in  the  hands  of  Germany;  German 
cannon  on  the  route  to  India  and  Egypt ; German 
troops  on  the  Algerian  frontier ; this  would  be  a 
goal  worthy  of  great  sacrifices.” 

Maximilian  Harden,  Zukunft,  July  29,  1911,  p. 
151. 

“Above  all  things  we  must  get  to  the  channel. 
* * * We  have  occupied  Belgium  against  France, 
we  need  it  against  England.” 

Prof.  Martin  Spahn  in  Hochland,  Heft  I (Oct. 
1914),  p.  26. 

“The  old  frontiers  of  Lorraine  and  Burgundy  ap- 
parently anticipated  the  extent  of  territory  which 
our  strategists  will  today  deem  it  advisable  to  annex 
to  the  Empire  at  the  cost  of  France.” 

Prof.  Martin  Spahn  in  Hochland,  Heft  I (Oct., 
1914),  p.  26. 

“We  are  not  willing  to  forget  that  the  Nether- 
lands, of  which  Belgium  is  the  southern  part,  are 
old  German  imperial  territory.  * * * ” 

Prof.  F.  Rachfahl  in  the  International  Monat- 
schrift  fur  Wissenschaft,  Kunst  und  Technik, 
March,  1915. 

“As  regards  Belgium  and  Holland  * * * it  may 
be  said  openly  that  such  little  states  have  lost  any 
absolute  right  to  exist;  for  today  only  those  states 
can  assert  a right  to  independence  that  can  secure 
it  sword  in  hand.” 

Daniel  Fryman,  W enn  ich  der  Kaiser  ware,  1914, 
p.  167. 

“Besides  Belfort,  France  must  cede  to  us  that 
part  of  Lorraine  which  is  bounded  by  the  Moselle, 
and  in  case  of1  obstinate  resistance,  also  the  part 
bounded  by  the  Meuse.  * * * If  Belgium  takes 


ILLUSTRATIVE  EXTRACTS  17 

part  in  the  war,  it  is  to  be  wiped  off  the  map.  * * * 
The  Belgian  Congo  would  fall  to  Germany  and  thus 
the  idea  of  a German  middle  Africa  would  be  rea- 
lized. * * * If  the  Netherlands  come  into  Ger- 
many as  a federated  state,  * * * there  might  be  oc- 
casion to  consider  the  entire  or  partial  incorpora- 
tion of  Flemish  Belgium  in  the  Netherlands.  * * * 
Norway  and  Sweden  (to  which  Finland  might  be 
added)  and  Switzerland  (possibly  enlarged  by  por- 
tions of  Savoy)  will  necessarily  seek  the  protection 
of  Germany  and  enter  into  a confederate  relation 
similar  to  that  of  Austria.” 

Rudolph  Theuden,  Was  muss  der  Krieg  bring en, 
1914,  pp.  9-10,  12-13. 

“The  northern  part  of  Venetia,  the  districts  of 
Friuli  and  Treviso,  up  to  a line  running  from  the 
south  end  of  Lake  Garda  to  the  mouth  of  the  Piave, 
must  be  taken  * * * to  ward  off  from  Austria’s 
Adriatic  coast  all  future  menace.” 

Albert  Ritter,  Der  Organische  Aufbau  Europas, 
1916,  p.  28. 

“We  had  intended  to  buy  this  west  African  col- 
ony (Angola)  ; but  it  would  be  better  to  pay  noth- 
ing for  it  and  to  take  the  Azores,  the  Cape  Verde 
Islands  and  Madeira  to  boot.  * * * ” 

Alfred  Ruhemann,  Die  V ernichtung  der  englischen 
Weltmacht,  1915,  p.  145. 

“ * * * we  admit  that  at  times  in  our  country 
nationalistic  covetousness  has  extended  itself  to 
South  America.” 

Karl  Mehrmann,  Grossdeutschland,  1915,  p.  7. 

“Also  South  America  must  and  can  easily  become 
a habitation  for  German  or  Germanoid  races ! 

“The  lands  will  be  settled  by  people  of  Germanic 
blood,  the  non-Germanic  inhabitants  being  driven 
into  reservations  or  at  best  to  Africa.  * * * ” 

Klaus  Wagner,  Krieg,  1906,  pp.  165-166. 

“Germany  takes  under  her  protection  the  repub- 
lics of  Argentina,  Chile,  Uruguay  and  Paraguay,  the 
southern  third  of  Bolivia,  * * * and  the  southern 
part  of  Brazil,  where  Germans  predominate.  * * * ” 

Tannenberg,  Gross-Deutschland:  die  Arbeit  des 
20ten  Jahrhunderts,  p.  250. 

“The  Germans  seemed  marked  by  their  talents 
and  by  their  achievements  to  be  the  teachers  and 
the  intellectual,  economic  and  political  leaders  of 
these  peoples  (the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  Amer- 
icans).” 

I.  Unold,  Das  Deutschtum  in  Chile,  1899,  pp. 
62-65. 

“We  must  desire  that  at  any  cost  a German  country 
containing  some  twenty  to  thirty  million  Germans 


18 


PAN-GERMANISM 


may  grow  up  in  the  coming  century  in  south  Brazil 
— and  that,  too,  no  matter  whether  it  remains  a por- 
tion of  Brazil,  or  becomes  an  independent  state,  or 
enters  into  close  relationship  with  our  empire.” 

Gustav  von  Schmoller,  Handels-und  Machtpolitik, 
I,  p.  36. 

“ * * * it  is  to  be  hoped  that  by  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  South  America,  when  the  half-breed  popula- 
tion— a cross  between  the  Indians  and  the  Latin 
races — has  disappeared,  the  vast  basin  of  the  Plata 
will  become  German  territory.” 

Tannenberg,  Gross  Deutschlands  Die  Arbeit  des 
20ten  Jahrhunderts,  p.  295. 

“The  German  people  must  take  possession  of  cen- 
tral Africa  from  the  mouth  of  the  Orange  River  to 
Lake  Tchad  and  from  the  Kamerun  Mountains  to 
the  mouth  of  the  River  Rovuma ; of  the  near  East ; 
of  the  Malayan  Islands ; and  finally  of  the  southern 
half  of  South  America.” 

Tannenberg,  Gross-D eutschland , p.  231. 

“Holland  needs  our  settlers  and  our  might  for  its 
overseas  possessions,  which  of  itself  it  cannot  pro- 
tect and  develop.  We  need  these  new  Dutch  terri- 
tories, already  fertilized  by  German  blood,  for  the  in- 
dispensable expansion  of  our  economic  dominions. 
We  need  free  traffic  on  a German  Rhine  to  its 
mouth,  a traffic  which  the  silent  resistance  of  Hol- 
land now  keeps  from  us.” 

Frits  Bley,  Die  alldeutsche  Bewegung  und  die 
Niederlande,  1897,  pp.  6-7. 

“If  , middle  Europe  wishes  to  become  a world 
power,  it  will  have  to  find  its  way  to  the  shores  of 
the  Indian  Ocean,  and  that  way  is  through  Bagdad. 
Once  it  has  gained  a footing  on  that  sea,  it  will  also 
be  able  to  defend  those  precious  possessions  which 
Holland,  in  order  not  to  lose  them,  will  have  to  en- 
trust to  the  protection  of  Middle  Europe — the  Dutch 
Indies.  Holland  has  no  longer  any  choice  in  this 
new  era,  when  the  map  of  the  world  is  being  remade, 
and  when  states  are  being  gathered  together  into 
vast  empires.” 

Karl  von  Winterstetten,  Nordkap-Bagdad:  das 
politische  Program  des  Krieges,  1914,  p.  23. 

“The  new  situation  shortly  to  be  created  in  Asia 
Minor  would  hasten  the  break-up  of  the  British 
Empire,  which  was  already  beginning  to  totter.” 

Liepsiger  Volkseitung,  March,  1911.  Quoted  by 
£5.  S.  McClure,  Obstacles  to  Peace,  1917,  p.  13. 

“England  can  be  attacked  and  mortally  wounded 
by  land  from  Europe  only  in  one  place — Egypt.  The 
loss  of  Egypt  would  mean  for  England  not  only  the 
end  of  her  dominion  over  the  Suez  Canal  and  of  her 
connections  with  India  and  the  far  East,  but  would 


ILLUSTRATIVE  EXTRACTS 


19 


probably  entail  also  the  loss  of  her  possessions  in 
central  and  east  Africa.” 

Paul  Rohrbach,  Die  Bagdadbahn  (1901)  1911. 
Quoted  by  S.  S.  McClure,  Obstacles  to  Peace,  1917, 
p.  19. 

“We  must  get  to  the  English  Channel,  even  if 
we  should  have  to  begin  all  over  again,  and  if  we 
have  to  conquer  once  more  all  the  old  strongholds.” 
From  speech  by  Herr  Paasche,  Vice-President  of 
the  Reichstag,  April  18,  1918. 

“And  we  shall  know  how  to  retain  for  all  future 
the  lands  which  have  been  fertilized  with  German 
blood.  * * * Let  us  then  hold  on  to  that  which 
we  have  gained  and  acquire  in  addition  that  which 
we  need.” 

Statement  by  Herr  Basserman,  leader  of  the  Na- 
tional Liberal  Party,  December,  1914. 

“If,  as  we  hope-and  believe,  we  shall  be  victorious, 
we  must  before  all  completely  overthrow  England, 
our  most  dangerous  enemy,  and  deprive  it  of  its 
colonies  and  fleet.  * * * Belgium  should  become 
part  of  the  German  Empire.  * * * ” 

Dr.  Oppenheimer  in  Das  Monistische  J ahrhundert , 
Dec.  10,  1914. 

“The  coast  of  all  continents,  except  the  American, 
which  can  protect  itself,  must  henceforth  be  domi- 
nated by  German  naval  guns.  * * * ” 

“Particularly,  we  must  get  to  the  channel.” 
Prof.  Martin  Spahn  in  Hochland,  Oct.,  1914. 

“We  must,  at  whatever  price,  enlarge  Germany’s 
territory  on  the  continent.  It  does  not  suffice  if  we 
connect  the  new  territories  merely  by  a customs 
union,  for-  we  must  be  their  master  diplomatically 
and  militarily  as  well.  * * * ” 

“If  people  should  ask  whether  we  intend  to  be- 
come a world  power  which  overtops  the  other  world 
powers  so  greatly  that  Germany  would  be  the  only 
real  world  power,  the  reply  must  be  that  the  will 
to  world  power  has  no  limits.” 

Dr.  Adolf  Grabowsky  in  Das  Neue  Deutschland, 
Oct.  28,  1914. 

“May  our  frontiers  be  extended  as  far  as  is  re- 
quired in  the  interest  of  our  future  security  and  as 
far  as  we  can  advance  them  without  diminishing  our 
ability  of  defending  our  territories.” 

Prof.  Dr.  E.  Brandenburg  in  Die  Reichsqrundunq , 
Liepzig,  1916. 

“We  must  attach  to  Germany  the  districts  neces- 
sary for  increasing  the  stock  of  our  raw  materials, 
such  as  ore  deposits  of  Lorraine.” 

Prof.  Dr.  H.  Sievekinq  in  Unsere  Aufqaben,  Ber- 
lin, 1915. 


20 


PAN-GERMANISM 


“One  thing  is  certain:  we  shall  not  give  up  the 
coast  (of  Belgium)  with  its  valuable  harbors  which 
make  us  England’s  direct  neighbors  on  the  other 
side  of  the  big  ditch.  * * * ” 

In  Kontinentalpolitik,  Bonn,  1915. 

“Germany,  being  an  industrial  and  creditor  state, 
demands  sufficient  territory  not  too  far  away  from 
the  homeland.  The  Belgian  Congo  would  fulfil  this 
double  need  without  compromising  the  colonial  in- 
terests either  of  France  or  of  England.” 

Prof.  G.  von  Schultze-Gaevernitz,  in  La  Mer 
Libre,  Stuttgart,  1915. 

“If  it  is  our  war  aim  to  give  Germany  permanent 
security  from  France  and  to  establish  the  freedom 
of  the  seas,  then  northeastern  France  up  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Somme  * * * must  be  annexed  to 
Germany,  as  a considerable  number  of  eminent  poli- 
ticians have  demanded.  * * * And  the  acquisition 
of  Belfort  and  surroundings  for  the  protection  of 
South  Germany  is  thoroughly  justified.  * * * No 
words  need  be  lost  about  the  attaching  of  Belgium 
to  central  Europe.  That  is  a matter  of  course.” 

Konrad  von  Wintersletten  in  Der  Organische  Auf- 
bau  Europas,  Berlin,  1916. 

“TIolland  may  learn  from  the  co-operation  of  the 
three  Scandinavian  kingdoms  that  she  can  find  a 
guarantee  of  security  only  if  she  enters  into  a coali- 
tion and  abandons  her  independence.  Would  it 
not  be  wise  and  provident  of  the  Dutch  to  consider 
already  today  that  the  German  Empire  requires  ad- 
ditional naval  bases  on  the  North  Sea,  that  in  some 
form  or  the  other  it  must  obtain  these  either  on  the 
coast  beyond  Belgium  or  on  the  mouths  of  the 
Rhine?” 

Alfred  Ruhemann  in  Die  Grenzboten,  Dec.  23, 
1914. 

“The  great  continental  area  of  the  unified  politi- 
cal system  attached  to  the  German- Austrian  Alliance 
reaches  from  Antwerp  and  Hamburg  to  Libau  and 
Vilna  and  to  Syria  and  Mesopotamia.  It  must  be 
politically  organized  for  all  time.” 

Dr.  Conrad  Bornak  in  Die  Grenzboten,  Mar.  15, 
1916. 

“Not  only  the  fact  that  the  larger  part  of  the 
minette  ore  deposits  lie  in  France,  but  also  the  po- 
sition of  the  much  discussed  fortresses  of  Liege, 
Namur,  Verdun,  Toul,  and  Belfort  compels  us  to 
push  forward  the  German  frontier  in  the  west.” 

Dr.  Konrad  Olbricht  in  Die  V ernichtung  der 
englischen  Weltmacht.  1915. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  EXTRACTS 


21 


“Holland  and  Switzerland  will  also  come  into  the 
union,  because  the  economical  position  of  small 
states  is  precarious.” 

Dr.  Karl  Jentsch  in  Der  Weltkrieg  und  die  Zu- 
kunft  des  deutschen  Volkes,  1915. 

“In  the  first  place  we  must  come  out  of  the  war 
with  a far  larger  colonial  empire  than  we  possessed 
previously.” 

Dr.  Paid  Leutwein  in  Weltwirtschaft,  May,  1916. 

“The  final  defeat  of  France  and  Belgium  must 
bring  to  the  Germans  the  connection  of  Cameron 
Colony  and  the  East  African  colony. 

A central  African  New  Germany  will  arise  right 
across  the  black  continent.” 

Dr.  Karl  Mehrmann  in  Gross-D eutschland , 1915. 

“We  must  strive  to  acquire  bases  for  our  fleet 
and  our  oversea  troops. 

“We  must  proclaim  the  national  task  of  becoming 
a real  colonial  power  in  Africa.  * * * 

“We  require  territorial  acquisitions  in  Europe.” 
Kuno  Waltemath  in  Preussische  Jahrbucher,  Jan., 
1916. 

As  an  index  of  the  sentiments  and  aspirations  of  the 
German  people  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  significant 
documents  which  has  appeared  since  the  war  began  is 
the  manifesto  of  the  Six  Industrial  Associations  pre- 
sented in  May,  1915,  to  the  German  Chancellor,  Beth- 
mann-EIollweg.  These  associations,  which  have  an  enor- 
mous membership,  reach  to  all  parts  of  the  Empire,  and 
include  all  strata  of  the  population,  land  owners,  manu- 
facturers, peasants,  members  of  the  middle  class,  the 
workers  alone  excepted.  Their  demands,  formally  pre- 
sented to  the  government,  are  therefore  fairly  represen- 
tative of  at  least  a great  body  of  public  opinion  in  Ger- 
many. A few  extracts  from  this  manifesto  follow : 

“ * * * we  shall  find  no  protection  in  treaties, 

■ which,  when  the  fitting  moment  comes,  would  again 
be  trodden  under  foot,  but  only  in  a weakening  of 
our  enemies,  both  industrially  and  militarily,  car- 
ried to  such  an  extent  that  by  it  peace  will  be  se- 
cured. * * * ” 

* * * Belgium  must  be  subjected  to  German 
imperial  legislation,  both  in  military  and  tariff  mat- 
ters, as  well  as  in  regard  to  currency,  banking  and 
post.  Railways  and  canals  must  be  incorporated 
in  our  transport  system.  * * * ” 

“ * * * the  possession  of  the  coastal  districts  (of 
France)  bordering  on  Belgium,  as  far  as  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Somme  * * * must  be  regarded  as 
a vital  matter  for  our  future  position  at  sea.” 

“The  necessity  of  strengthening  also  the  sound 
agricultural  basis  of  our  nation  * * * requires  a 
considerable  extension  of  the  imperial  and  Prussian 


22 


PAN-GERMANISM 


frontiers  in  the  east  by  the  annexation  of  least  parts 
of  the  Baltic  provinces  and  of  those  territories  which 
lie  to  the  south  of  them.  * * * ” 

“The  security  of  the  German  Empire  in  a future 
war  also  imperatively  requires  the  possession  of  the 
whole  adjoining  territory  of  Luxemburg  and  Lor- 
raine, including  the  fortifications  of  Longwy  and 
Verdun,  without  which  this  territory  cannot  be 
held.” 

A confidential  petition  signed  by  1,352  men  of  position 
in  Germany  was  adopted  at  a meeting  in  Berlin  for  pre- 
sentation to  the  German  Chancellor.  Among  the  signers 
were  352  college  professors,  158  other  teachers  and 
clergymen,  145  administrative  officials,  182  business  men, 
252  artists,  writers,  etc.  It  accordingly  may  be  consid- 
ered expressive  of  the  opinions  prevailing  in  an  influen- 
tial social  class.  A few  extracts  follow. 

“For  the  sake  of  our  own  existence  we  must  ruth- 
lessly weaken  her  (France)  both  politically  and  eco- 
nomically, and  must  improve  our  military  and  strat- 
egetical  position  with  regard  to  her.  For  this  pur- 
pose in  our  opinion  it  is  necessary  radically  to  im- 
prove our  whole  western  front  from  Belfort  t.o  the 
coast.  Part  of  the  north  French  Channel  coast  we 
must  acquire,  if  possible,  in  order  to  be  strateget- 
ically  safer  as  regards  England  and  to  secure  better 
access  to  the  ocean.” 

“Furthermore,  it  is  necessary  to  impose  a merci- 
lessly high  war  indemnity  upon  France.  * * * ” 
“On  Belgium,  for  the  acquisition  of  which  so 
much  of  the  best  German  blood  has  been  shed,  we 
must  keep  firm  hold,  from  the  political,  military, 
and  economic  standpoints.  * * * ” 

“We  need  liberty  of  the  seas,  which  was  the  real 
cause  of  the  war  between  England  and  Germany. 
To  obtain  it  we  must  have  Egypt,  the  connecting 
link  between  British  Africa  and  British  Asia.  * * *” 
All  the  political  parties  of  Germany,  except  the  Social- 
Democrats,  have  made  strong  official  declarations  in  fa- 
vor of  annexation.  And  while  the  Social-Democratic 
party  has  with  words  opposed  a policy  of  conquest,  its 
members  in  the  Reichstag  have  voted  for  the  budgets 
necessary  to  prosecute  the  war,  and  many  individual 
leaders  have  heartily  approved  the  annexation  of  terri- 
tory. The  significance  of  these  facts  as  an  index  of  sen- 
timent in  Germany  is  obvious. 

“In  the  name  of  all  the  members  of  this  house, 
the  Socialists  excepted,  I wish  to  make  the  following 
declaration.  * * * We  are  looking  forward  to  the 
peace  negotiations  in  which  the  military,  economic, 
financial,  and  political  interests  must  be  safeguarded 
in  their  full  extent  and  with  all  means,  including 
those  acquisitions  of  territory  which  are  required  for 
that  purpose.” 

From  a statement  made  in  the  Reichstag  by  Herr 


ILLUSTRATIVE  EXTRACTS 


23 


Spahn,  leader  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Center  party 
in  the  name  and  by  the  direction  of  all  parties,  ex- 
cept the  Socialists. 

“ * * * Germany’s  power  should  be  strengthened 
in  every  direction,  its  territories  should  be  consider- 
ably enlarged  beyond  the  present  frontiers,  in  as 
far  as  possible  the  occupied  territories  should  be 
retained  and  the  country  should  be  indemnified  for 
its  monetary  expenditure.” 

From  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Free  Conserva- 
tive Party.  Dec.  5th  and  6th,  1915,  in  Berlin. 

“The  Committee  of  the  Conservative  Party  is 
aware  that  among  the  great  tasks  of  the  world  war 
the  most  important  is  to  bring  England  down  on  its 
knees  with  all  means.  * * * The  Committee  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  whole  Conservative  party  * * * 
is  resolved  to  establish  an  honorable  and  lasting 
peace  which  will  secure  Germany’s  future.  As  a 
matter  of  course  it  will  support  the  necessary  en- 
largement of  territory  required  for  this  purpose.” 

From  resolutions  of  the  German  Conservative 
Party  in  October,  1915. 

“Particularly  it  was  declared  to  be  necessary  * * 
* to  attach  to  the  German  Empire  in  the  west  the 
necessary  territories,  politically,  militarily  and  eco- 
nomically. We  should  acquire  in  the  east  not  only 
better  strategetical  frontiers,  but  also  new  land  suit- 
able for  settlement.” 

From  a statement  of  the  National  Liberal  Party 
concerning  its  parliamentary  activity,  June,  1915. 

* * * only  an  expansion  of  Germany’s  land  and 
sea  frontiers  in  the  east,  in  the  west  and  overseas 
can  give  Germany  the  necessary  real  guarantee  for 
its  future  military,  political  and  economic  security.” 

From  resolutions  by  the  National  Liberal  Party, 
May  2 1st,  1916. 

“The  party  regards  it  unconditionally  necessary 
that  Germany’s  future  should  be  safeguarded  by 
military  and  economic  measures  and  by  the  neces- 
sary enlargements  of  territory.” 

Declaration  by  Progressive  People’s  Party,  Auq 
8,  1918. 

The  above  extracts  are  from  “Germany’s  Annexa- 
tionist Aims,”  by  Grumbach  and  Barker,  New  York, 
1917;  and  from  “Conquest  and  Kultur,”  published  by  the 
Committee  on  Public  Information,  Washington,  1918. 


To  American  Teachers,  Publicists,  and  Others. 


ftgrfg 


Education  is  the  only  basis  upon  which 
can  be  erected  a successful  democracy. 

I he  National  Security  League  is  striving 
to  give  to  the  people  knowledge  of  our 
national  purpose  and  ideals,  and  with 
this  end  has  been  able  to  distribute  free! 
to  teachers  and  others  much  text-book  - 
and  related  material  for  the  dissemina- 
tion of  knowledge  of  the  causes  and  i 
issues  of  the  war. 


mm 


Will  you  help  us  in  this  work ? Will  you  get  a mem 
ber ? 


DO  YOUR  DUTY  TO  YOUR  COUNTRY 


Make  all  Checks  payable  to 
NATIONAL  SECURITY  LEAGUE,  Inc. 
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and 

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will  be  mailed  from  Headquarters 

National  Security  Teague,  Inc. 
19  West  44th  Street,  New  York 


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